Woman's Doctor: Understanding runner's knee

It is that time of the year, when the city gets ready to welcome runners for the Baltimore Running Festival. Whether you are new to running or a seasoned veteran, there are many common injuries people encounter when they hit the pavement, including runner's knee. Mercy Medical Center Dr. John Paul Rue said such pain is common in runners. Rue said 50 percent of runners get what's referred to as runner’s knee.

It is that time of the year, when the city gets ready to welcome runners for the Baltimore Running Festival.

Whether you are new to running or a seasoned veteran, there are many common injuries people encounter when they hit the pavement, including runner’s knee.

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Runner Tara Shea can relate to that.

“I try to run two or three times a week,” Shea said. “Athletics have always kind of been a part of who I am. I started out playing every sport there was. And I stumbled upon (lacrosse) and that became my love."

Shea went on to play lacrosse in high school, then college, and she now coaches the sport. However lately Shea has noticed that her 3- to 4-mile runs are not as easy as they used to be.

“I usually start to notice the pain midway through my run and then of course right after,” Shea said.

Shea described the discomfort as a tight pain with a lot of pressure. Mercy Medical Center Dr. John Paul Rue said such pain is common in runners.

Rue said 50 percent of runners get what’s referred to as runner’s knee.

"Runner’s knee is really irritation underneath in the knee cap,” he said. “The kneecap is the patella. That area can get inflamed. If you have extra wear and tear, we call that runner’s knee, but it’s really a compilation of a lot of things."

Rue said that it is important to recognize the difference between being sore and painful problematic soreness.

"Knee pain that doesn’t get better, you can have swelling, (joint) catching (and) popping,” Rue said. “Those type of things are something you want to get looked at."

Rue tells patients that there are steps they can take to address runner’s knee.

“You shouldn’t run every day,” Rue said. “You should alternate and do some cross-training. You should definitely work on flexibility for your quadriceps and hamstrings and you can work on strengthening your quadriceps. It will help stabilize the knee cap."

Shea said that is what she is doing so she won’t have to hang up her running shoes later.